Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College are hosting three blood drives, Feb. 6-8, to help Memorial Blood Centers and United Blood Services address a nation-wide shortage of donated blood attributed to severe winter weather and seasonal flu outbreaks.

Bemidji State will host Memorial Blood Centers for a Feb. 6 blood drive and United Blood Services on Feb. 8. Northwest Technical College will host Memorial Blood Centers on Feb. 7.

Memorial Blood Centers estimates that 16,000 scheduled blood and platelet donations have gone uncollected in the last month alone, and it characterizes the national shortage as “severe.” According to the American Red Cross, nearly 7,000 units of platelets and 10,000 units of plasma are needed daily in the U.S

“It’s a really tough time for blood collections right now,” said Duluth’s Red Cross Executive Director Dan Williams. “We’re really asking for people to step up and donate blood.”

Memorial Blood Services will be in NTC Room 219 Feb. 7 between 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The blood drive is sponsored by the NTC Student Nurses Association.

Thursday, Feb. 8

United Blood Services will be in the Crying Wolf Room in Bemidji State’s lower Hobson Memorial Union Feb. 7 between 9 a.m.–3 p.m. The blood drive is sponsored by Delta Theta Kappa.

Blood donation typically takes less than 10-12 minutes, and the entire donation process — including check-in and check-out — typically takes about an hour and 15 minutes. Memorial Blood Services allows donors to register in advance online to save time on the day of the donation at http://www.mbc.org/Donate-Blood/Schedule-Blood-Donation. United Blood Services also offers advance online registration at http://www.bloodhero.com.

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Bemidji State University, located amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota, occupies a wooded campus along the shore of Lake Bemidji. Enrolling more than 5,100 students, Bemidji State offers more than 80 undergraduate majors and eight graduate degrees encompassing arts, sciences and select professional programs. BSU is a member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities and has a faculty and staff of more than 550. The university’s Shared Fundamental Values include environmental stewardship, civic engagement and international and multicultural understanding.